This relates generally to high speed signal backplane interfaces.
High speed signal backplane interfaces may be used as part of a modular chassis-based system including a high speed backplane and multiple line cards. Backplane interface solutions are also known as high speed serial links and they provide full duplex communication across the high speed backplane. Data may be transmitted across a high speed differential signal that is routed across the line card, through the connector and backplane, and across another set of high density connectors.
Backplanes may be used to connect boards, including telecom switches, multi-service provisioning platforms, add/drop multiplexers, digital cross connects, storage switches, routers, embedded platforms, multiprocessor systems, and blade servers. Modularity may be possible through the addition of line cards, switch cards, and services blades, all coupled to a single high speed backplane. Operating rates of greater than one gigabit per second are typically used.
At high data rates, the connector in the interface becomes critical to the interface performance. The connector connects the backplanes to the line cards. Electrical field distortion and radiation loss of standard interface connectors may degrade the interface performance. In fact, the interface connector can cause the interface to fail even after applying advanced signaling techniques, such as de-emphasis in the transmitter buffer and equalization in the receiver buffer.